Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening

you.
    He couldn't… he couldn't face life without you."
     
    A sudden bright flash of light exploded in the air of the cavern, and a female form appeared in the center of it. "I do so love family reunions." The voice was like nothing Erin had ever heard; the sound of an ancient, formless evil that rolled wetly in the dark.
     
    Erin's shield collapsed, and she and Deirdre both stopped singing, their vocal cords frozen in their throats. As she clutched her neck, Erin saw the Weres drop to the floor, cowering and whining, and the vamps fall flat on their faces, hissing. She caught sight of Jack, lying still and bloody on the ground, and Justice leaning against one wall, hands on his knees, gasping. She couldn't see Ven.
     
    The ruby song prism around Caligula vanished, and he made an odd, grunting noise, then dropped his hands from his ears and bowed deeply to the newcomer. He levitated down to the stone floor of the cavern and fell to his knees. "My Lady, you are come. You grace us with your presence."
     
    The vampire—for she must be that, with the white skin of the grave and glowing red eyes—spiraled down toward them, her silken white dress floating delicately around her.
    She had hip-length black hair and was so beautiful that it nearly made Erin's eyes hurt to look at her. Deirdre dropped to her knees and then lowered her face to the ground, moaning. "It's the vampire Goddess of Death, Erin. It's Anubisa."
     
    "Ah, the witch turned vampire knows her betters," Anubisa said, smiling. Her tiny fangs were barely longer than the rest of her teeth. That and her beauty combined to give her a deceptively harmless appearance.
     
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
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    Then she turned her eyes toward Erin and any facade of harmlessness vanished.
    Before Erin could lower her gaze, Anubisa captured her, sweeping her into thrall. Her mind could only scream helplessly as her body was paralyzed.
     
    The vampire Goddess swept down and toward her and plucked the ruby from Erin's arms, then held it up toward the light of one of the torches. "What a pretty thing. It must hold some power, or you wouldn't have wanted it so badly, and even now, with the two of you silenced, it hums with suppressed power."
     
    She shrugged and tossed it casually to the ground, where it landed on the folds of Deirdre's gown, "A bauble to play with later."
     
    She turned to Caligula and pointed one long finger at him. "Where is he?"
     
    "Where is who, my lady?" His voice wasn't nearly as smug as it had been, and Erin took a fierce joy at his cowardice in the presence of his Goddess.
     
    "Where is my Vengeance? I smell the blood of blood kin to my pet, Conlan," she said, twirling around to scan the room. "I have a certain promise to fulfill, and I fully intend to enjoy years of service from him. Willingly or not."
     
    Erin stared around, but couldn't see Ven anywhere. Good. Maybe he'd escaped.
     
    Anubisa clearly thought otherwise. "I smell you lurking around, Atlantean. Are you such a coward that you will let these women die on your behalf?"
     
    Ven stepped out from behind an outcropping of rock about fifteen feet above the ground. "Oh, I'm here, you unholy bitch." He raised his sword. "I was trying to get into position to give youa. pointed reply."
     
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    "You warriors and your toys," Anubisa purred, gliding over to Erin and Deirdre. "Do you need a demonstration?"
     
    She bent to Deirdre and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head up.
     
    "No!" Ven shouted, and he leapt down to the ground. "I will go with you. Let the women go."
     
    Anubisa paused, glancing slyly up at Erin, who was still frozen in place and unable to access her magic. "It's this one you care for, isn't it? Not the undead plaything of my Caligula. No matter."
     
    She swept out an arm and a wave of energy crashed across the room, smashing Ven across the cavern and into a stone wall. Then she struck hard with her fangs and drained Deirdre while Erin watched, utterly helpless, screaming a silent promise of revenge.
     
    Anubisa delicately wiped her mouth with a fold of Deirdre's torn dress, then dropped her head on the ground. The hollow thunking sound when her sister's head struck the stone seared Erin down to her soul. "I enjoy these little demonstrations, gem singer," Anubisa said, touching Erin's face with an icy finger. "So you think to fight with your Gift when you do not